Defective by Design - mp3http://www.defectivebydesign.org/taxonomy/term/52
enHearJapanhttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/node/2193
<div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even">HearJapan is a site where you can purchase DRM-free music. All downloads are done through the browser. Only MP3 format is supported. </div></div></div><div class="field field--name-taxonomyextra field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Taxonomy upgrade extras:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/51">music</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/222">Music</a></div></div></div>Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:12:40 +0000Joshua Gay2193 at http://www.defectivebydesign.orgAmazon app store for Android welcomes DRMhttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/amazon-android-drm
<div class="field field--name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topic:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/10">drm</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topic/amazon">amazon</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/365">android</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even">
<p>In 2007, Amazon announced their music store. It would, they promised, deliver DRM-free music to U.S. Amazon users. And they did just that. With much fanfare, they rolled out Amazon MP3, touting music downloads for any device. On <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=help_search_1-1?ie=UTF8&amp;nodeId=200143320&amp;qid=1287168422&amp;sr=1-1">their website</a>, they explain what's special about their music sales. "DRM-free means that the MP3 files you purchase from Amazon.com do not contain any software that will restrict your use of the file."</p>
<p>In January of 2010, <a href="http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=16138&amp;news=Amazon+Kindle+App+Store+E-Book">Amazon began to talk about apps for the Kindle</a>. This came as a bit of a surprise. Previously, the proprietary operating system made the Kindle forbidden territory to developers. The Kindle, notable for its DRM-heavy operating procedures, was going to be changed by apps. Changes in the Digital Text Platform brought on by this announcement affected how publishers interact with DRM in the devices by allowing them the chance to sell ebooks DRM-free. According to <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;ved=0CB4QFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brighthand.com%2Fdefault.asp%3FnewsID%3D16138%26news%3DAmazon%2BKindle%2BApp%2BStore%2BE-Book&amp;ei=OaS4TI3NMc6s8AaNy43_Dg&amp;usg=AFQjCNHo9mwP2ABl0AfENVQtHUKR1cR9KA&amp;sig2=fb1jQtaFUb88PBSTWWBSgg">Brighthand</a>, Amazon claimed that it had always been possible to release DRM-free texts for the Kindle, but the changes made the option explicit and easy. </p>
<p>With the Wall Street Journal's <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704696304575538273116222304.html">October 7th confirmation</a> of rumors that Amazon is now going to be opening up an Android app store, one of the first questions I had to ask was about DRM. While Amazon MP3 is pretty awesome, the Kindle itself is not a good example of free use. The rumors of Amazon's Android App Store were littered with <a href="http://www.htlounge.net/art/13637/due-to-app-store-terms-amazon-would-force-drm.html">claims</a> that Amazon would be forcing DRM onto apps. Amazon helped clear up rumors when they sent out a <a href="http://www.engadget.com/photos/amazon-sends-welcome-packet-to-prospective-app-store-devs/#3448443">welcome packet</a> to prospective developers. All apps must go through the "Amazon App Packaging Tool," which gives developers the option of "protecting [their] app by utilizing DRM, or distributing [their] app without DRM."(1) </p>
<p>Amazon will not, in fact, be forcing people to put DRM on their apps, but they're still giving the option. When they first introduced Amazon MP3, there was a major change in how digital music was being legally distributed. Record labels and Amazon wanted to challenge what was then Apple's growing monopoly on the market. Individuals and spokespeople for companies like EMI(2) spoke about something inherently wrong in the nature of DRM in music. At the time, Amazon was lobbying record labels Sony BMG and Warner in hopes of selling more DRM-free music. </p>
<p>In trying to find a seemingly happy medium between forcing DRM, as they originally had with Kindles, and supporting DRM-free, Amazon offered DRM-optional, starting with Kindle apps and expanding to their Android App Store. This, unfortunately, is not good enough. Their commitment has been to making money at the expense of the rights of people purchasing from them. </p>
<p>Amazon is backsliding. Amazon MP3 is something special because it's different. It's not a perfect solution to digital music sales, because it does not use free formats like Ogg Vorbis. Instead, it sells files in the MP3 format, which is <a href="http://playogg.org">encumbered by patents</a> that have led to court cases against free MP3 encoders. However, Amazon MP3 did take an important step. We didn't need another digital music retail source—we needed a DRM-free digital music retail source. Similarly, we don't need another app store, for Android or any other device. We need a DRM-free, free software one.</p>
<p>(1)Amazon Welcome Packet &lt;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/photos/amazon-sends-welcome-packet-to-prospective-app-store-devs/#3448485">http://www.engadget.com/photos/amazon-sends-welcome-packet-to-prospective-app-store-devs/#3448485</a>&gt;</p>
<p>(2)Kraveets, D. "Like Amazon's DRM-Free Music Downloads? Thank Apple". Wired. 25, September, 2007. </p>
<p>Molly de Blanc (mollydb) is a campaigns intern at the Free Software Foundation. She likes free software, free press, and free movie passes. She can be reached at <a href="mailto:campaigns-interns@fsf.org">the campaigns intern account</a>. </p> </div></div></div>Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:02:56 +0000mollydb1579 at http://www.defectivebydesign.orgMP3 Compatiblehttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/1173
<div class="field field--name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topic:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/10">drm</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topic/uk">uk</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>In Britain, seven of the largest <a href="/guide/">retailers of MP3 downloads</a> have produced a logo which promotes the MP3 format for DRM-free downloads.</p>
<p><img src="http://www.defectivebydesign.org/sites/defectivebydesign.org/files/mp3.png" alt=" 100% compatible" /></p>
<p>The Entertainment Retailers Association devised the logo to emphasize the fact that MP3 files can be played on any digital player.</p>
<p>While MP3 is still encumbered by patents, and sites supporting <a href="http://playogg.org/">Ogg Vorbis</a> would really be something amazing, this is a good move for consumers who know about the DRM issue.</p>
<p>Ben Drury from <a href="/guide/">7Digital</a>, one of the first online retailers in the UK to offer MP3 downloads said that online sales "have been booming" because users "love the freedom of MP3".</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:20:06 +0000Matt Lee1173 at http://www.defectivebydesign.orgHMV joining online DRM Free MP3 Sellershttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/1046
<div class="field field--name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topic:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/10">drm</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/51">music</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>HMV seems like the latest big name to join the <a href="http://digital-lifestyles.info/2007/07/02/hmv-to-undercut-itunes-with-drm-free-music-downloads/" target="new">DRM Free MP3 sales market</a>. Looks like they plan to undercut iTMS in an attempt to increase sales.</p>
<p>HMV and other bricks and mortar music stores haven't been doing so well of late as sales of physical CDs have been dropping.</p>
<p>It is exciting to see more and more players enter the market of DRM free digital download sales. HMV is going to offer tracks as high bit rate mp3, for example, and this "innovation" will lead to all sorts of different product offerings.</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 03 Jul 2007 19:48:18 +0000Gregory Heller1046 at http://www.defectivebydesign.orgAnywhereCD and Warner Settlehttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/1041
<div class="field field--name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topic:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topic/warner">warner</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>A few months back, AnywhereCD launched offering a new service, buy a physicals cd AND get the digital download immediately. Anywhere made deals with numerous record companies, including Warner. Shortly after launch, Warner cried foul. The lawsuits started flying.</p>
<p>This week brings <a href="http://dmwmedia.com/news/2007/06/07/online-retailer-anywhere-cd-warner-music-settle-legal-dispute" target="new">news of a settlement</a>. Under the terms, you can get your warner CDs and MP3 from <a href="http://www.anywherecd.com">AnywhereCD</a> until September.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 08 Jun 2007 14:24:52 +0000Gregory Heller1041 at http://www.defectivebydesign.orgTIME on DRMhttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/1035
<div class="field field--name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topic:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/10">drm</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topic/amazon">amazon</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topic/itms">itms</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p><a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1625209,00.html?xid=rss-topstories" target="new">Time Magazine</a> ran an article last week about DRM. It gets alot right, and speaks in non geek terms:<br /><cite><br />
Off the record, most executives--on the technology side at least--will tell you that DRM is a dinosaur that's waiting for the asteroid to hit. It's just a matter of when the music industry will stop assuming its customers are all criminals.</cite></p>
<p>and, on why Big Media should back off on non commercial sharing of digital media (meaning folks who swap cds, or download a track here and there):</p>
<p><cite><br />
To be clear: most of us really are criminals. Almost everybody owns a little stolen music. But a little piracy can be a good thing. Sure, O.K., I ripped the audio of the Shins' Phantom Limb off a YouTube video. But on the strength of that minor copyright atrocity, I legally bought two complete Shins albums and shelled out for a Shins concert. The legit market feeds off the black market. Music execs just need to figure out how to live with that. (And count themselves lucky. When it comes to movies, consumers actually do act like hardened criminals. The real pirate war is being fought in Hollywood.)</cite></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1625209,00.html?xid=rss-topstories" target="new">article</a> is also a good short primer on what DRM is and why there is a controversy around it, in layman's terms. If you need to explain DRM why you don't like it to a parent, or non geeky friend, this is a good article to send them.</p>
</div></div></div>Tue, 29 May 2007 17:52:08 +0000Gregory Heller1035 at http://www.defectivebydesign.orgAmazon to sell music without DRMhttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/1030
<div class="field field--name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topic:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/51">music</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topic/amazon">amazon</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/topic/srm">srm</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>Another nail in the coffin for DRM on digital music downloads. Amazon officially announced this week that it will sell digital music without DRM in the MP3 format (which still is proprietary and covered by software patents). </p>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/17/technology/17amazon.html?_r=1&amp;ref=business&amp;oref=slogin" target="new">From the NYT</a>:<br /><cite><br />
The move could be another step toward the demise of the copy-protection systems that have frustrated some online music buyers and created confusion about compatibility between digital players and downloaded songs. Critics charge that the software has slowed the public embrace of legal digital downloads while failing to stop illicit copying, at a time when the music industry is desperate for ways to make up for declining CD sales.</cite></p>
<p>As we announced yesterday, the FSF launched the <a href="http://www.playogg.org">PlayOGG</a> campaign to encourage people to use the open OGG file format and encourage digital music retailers to offer songs in this format which, unlike MP3, is free of software patents.</p>
</div></div></div>Fri, 18 May 2007 20:28:56 +0000Gregory Heller1030 at http://www.defectivebydesign.orgWarner Music and AnyWhereCD.com Trade Law Suitshttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/984
<div class="field field--name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topic:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/10">drm</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/48">legal</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/51">music</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topic/warner">warner</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>The last two weeks have been a rough road in the news for <a href="http://www.anywherecd.com" target="new">AnywhereCD.com</a>, (also being the first 2 weeks of AnywhereCD.com). Well seems like this week brings news that <a href="http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=b5ea1c9f-24c9-494e-ab1e-15c0aeb20999&amp;k=91745" target="new">AnywhereCD is suing Warner Music, and Warner is suing AnywhereCD</a>.</p>
<p>It seems that the two companies have a disagreement over DRM and digital distribution. AnywhereCD sells customers an album, and delivers it digitally, the customer can also request a hard copy of the album in CD format for an extra $3. </p>
<p>Someone at Warner must have really goofed to not realize what was going on when they signed a contract with AnywhereCD.</p>
<p>I think that Warner needs to hear from their artists' fans on this issue.</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:59:11 +0000Gregory Heller984 at http://www.defectivebydesign.orgAmazon to Launch DRM Free Digital Downloadshttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/982
<div class="field field--name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topic:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/51">music</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div><div class="field__item even"><a href="/topic/classical">classical</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p><a href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070423-bring-it-on-itunes-amazon-readying-drm-free-music-service.html" target="new">ArsTechnica</a> reports that Amazon is poised to launch a digital download store selling MP3 tracks free of DRM. The Amazon store will feature EMI's catalog and may also offer Universal's classical catalog. The latter offering would be a huge development for DRM free digital downloads. Universal is the largest of the big 4 labels, and even a partial opening up of their catalog for digital download without DRM would point towards the end of DRM on all music downloads.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2007/04/24/universal_and_amazon.html" target="new">BoingBoing</a> also covered the story and it still seems like there is some uncertainty about what exactly Amazon will be offering (with regard to Universal's catalog).</p>
<p>Stay tuned for an upcoming action announcement tomorrow.</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 25 Apr 2007 03:54:29 +0000Gregory Heller982 at http://www.defectivebydesign.orgE-Music Second Largest Online Music Store after iTMShttp://www.defectivebydesign.org/blog/980
<div class="field field--name-taxonomy-vocabulary-1 field--type-taxonomy-term-reference field--label-above"><div class="field__label">Topic:&nbsp;</div><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/51">music</a></div><div class="field__item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/52">mp3</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p><a href="http://www.emusic.com" target="new">eMusic</a> announced today that with<a href="http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=32858" target="new">300 thousand users it is the second largest digital music download service on the web</a>. eMusic's success proves that you don't need DRM to do business. Unfortunately, eMusic only offers mp3 files, when they should be offering the unencumbered OGG format instead (<a href="http://www.fsf.org/resources/formats/ogg" target="new">check out why</a>).</p>
<p>eMusic is proving that music fans are hungry for DRM free tracks and that different business models (other than per song pricing) are viable.</p>
<p>There are even <a href="http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2007/04/12/apple-going-to-offer-itunes-subscription-service-concentrate-and-ask-again" target="new">rumors that iTMS is talking about introducing a subscription based service</a>. However unlike eMusic, it seems an iTMS subscription service would be more like the new Napster or Rhapsody, basically you would pay a monthly fee to access music, and you would never really come close to owning it.</p>
<p>Also in the digital downloads <a href="http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070413-warner-unhappy-with-new-drm-free-anywherecd.html" target="new">news recently, new service </a><a ref="http://www.anywherecd.com/mp3/home1" target="new">AnyWhereCD.com</a> which lets you buy CDs (physical CDs!) and gives you digital downloads immediately. Warner is not too happy, but we are!</p>
</div></div></div>Wed, 18 Apr 2007 05:36:30 +0000Gregory Heller980 at http://www.defectivebydesign.org